John Gilbert "Gil" Kangas

John Gilbert "Gil" Kangas, 95, passed away peacefully on Jan. 24, 2026, at Aspirus St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota.

Gil was born on April 10, 1930, in Queen's, New York, New York, the son of John and Tynne Kangas, six months after the "Great Crash of 1929."

He graduated from Escanaba High School in 1948 and enlisted in the U.S. Army. In 1952, while serving in Germany, Gil took the ferry to Helsinki and the Summer Olympics, where he met his future wife of 68 years, Maj-Britt Nyberg, which led to the often-told story of their first date in Helsinki to see the movie "The African Queen." Maj-Britt's father was a Finnish Winter War veteran.

Gil was preceded in death by Maj-Britt; a daughter, Maj-Ra Elain; brothers, Eino, Charles and Kenneth; and sister, Virgina.

Gil is survived by a brother, Russell, and his wife, Muriel, both of Marquette, Michigan; sons, Thomas and John (Katie) of Ironwood; daughter, Maj-Lis and Bob Sejbl of Eau Claire; grandchildren, Joshua (Michelle) Norsen and their children, Ivy and Lily of Appleton, Kristine (Dusty) Basom and their children, Ava and Grady, of Eau Claire, and Pamela Luzack and her children, Annabelle and Madeline, of Beloit.

Gil was a social worker for the State of Michigan until retirement, upon which time he ventured into Gil's Satellite. He was one of the first 100,000 Direct TV subscribers in the country. Pretty much a zero sum game, but he loved meeting and helping folks get their Packer, Bears and Lions games all over Gogebic and Iron Counties, plus he could sponsor his own bowling teams.

He was also a longtime baseball and softball participant, coaching and playing on the Gogebic Range. Gil loved baseball. I remember Gil singing "Wabash Cannonball," along with Dizzy Dean on the Yankee game of the week. He loved to sing.

Bowling! Gil had a lifetime passion for bowling, starting young with setting pins in Escanaba, to league secretary for the high school league. Gil finally rolled that elusive 300 game in Iron Mountain of all places.

We believe Gill was an American Bowling Congress member for 60 years. He bowled well into his 80s for so many teams, even for the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, now handling his remains.

Gil and Maj-Britt spent their entire lifetimes on the Gogebic Range, starting in Bessemer in 1961 as dedicated parishioners of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Ironwood. The family would like to thank The Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan for its support for Gilbert's and Maj-Britts's efforts on behalf of the beautiful Church of the Transfiguration here in Ironwood.

On Feb. 10, there will be a short memorial service at 3 p.m., followed by a visitation until 6 p.m. at McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., Ironwood, Michigan.

A Celebration of Gil's Life is being planned later for when it thaws out around here, probably at the Sport Bowl.